Karl, Mike and Erich skied up a nearby slope to collect snow samples at higher altitude. Beautiful views of the valley and surrounding mountains. Returned by early evening. After dinner, Steve, Mike, Bruce and Erich went for a hike up the other side of the valley to collect more snow samples to compare the snow samples from our snowpit. Found some very interesting and beautiful rocks that have been sculpted by the wind.

In the morning we made the big move from the Clark to the Commonwealth glacier. It took a few hours to take down all of the tents and pack all of the gear into separate loads for the helicopter. This time it only took 3 loads to move all of our gear, and we were done with the move by ~1 pm. Very fast for a total camp move! By ~3 pm, we had the camp set-up at the Commonwealth glacier with the same arrangement of tents as on the Clark. Mike and Karl once again started to flag the radar lines, and Steve, Bruce and Erich started the first radar surveys. We were very pleased to have moved camp and done some science in the same day. The Commonwealth may be even more beautiful than the Clark, with mountains almost all around. We can see towards the south again and actually see Ob Hill next to McMurdo station. The sea ice is starting to break up and we can see open ocean and some icebergs.

Radar surveys all day. The Commonwealth is another very deep glacier (~300 m deep). The internal ice layers are very complex – much different from the Clark where everything was simple. It is more complex here because there are other glaciers feeding into the Commonwealth further up-glacier. More radar lines will be needed to find the best ice core site.

Two researchers from Ohio State University, Tim and Rebecca, arrived via helicopter in the morning from a camp at Lake Hoare in the Dry Valleys below. They will stay with us for two days to sample the snow pit for Mercury. After they arrived, we dug a 3 m-deep snowpit and began to collect samples. Very long day – did not stop sampling until 10 pm.

Continued to sample the 3 m-deep snow pit all day. Once the pit was finished, we collected a few new radar lines to find the best core location – found a great one! After dinner, we all hiked up the nearby ridge to collect some samples and enjoy the view.

we collected a few new radar lines to find the best core location –
found a great one! After dinner, we all hiked up the nearby ridge to collect
some samples and enjoy the view.